


A Little Christmas Song

by Eskayrobot



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: A little Hux/Phasma is you squint, Amilyn Holdo is Barbara Streisand, Background Finn/Rose/Poe, Ben Solo is Michael Buble, Ben Solo is a thirsty boi, Both Adam and Daisy have lovely voices, Broadway Supporting Actress Rey, Canon Age Difference, Canon ages, Crooner Ben Solo, Everyone ships it but the idiots, F/M, Final Order as a record label, Finn and Poe do the music things, Gwen is a flawless manager, Jessika Pava is Anne Hathaway, Knights of Ren as a band, New Artist Rey, Now if only they'd shut up, Poor Mitaka just wants to get the tracks laid, Recording a Christmas album together, Rey is a thirsty girl, Reylo - Freeform, Rose is a badass manager, Sexual Tension, So Much Sexual Tension, Tallie is Idina Menzel, They all ship Reylo, Two Dumb Idiots, an emo band, just go with it okay?, so i had to, who had a Myspace page
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:14:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21942730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eskayrobot/pseuds/Eskayrobot
Summary: Veteran crooner Ben Solo is due for another Christmas album this year and his label wants him to pick an emerging young vocal starlet as his duet partner in order to boost her sales. Ben picks Rey Niima, having no idea how that simple decision was about to change their lives.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 35
Kudos: 94





	1. Meet-Cute

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas Eve to you, my loves!!! I've had this idea for, like, ever, so I decided that now is a great time to unleash it upon you all. It's just a tiny ficlet, nothing too special. I hope you like it and happy holidays!!!!

If memes were any indication to popularity and cultural relevance, then Ben Solo was the epitome of it all come Christmas time. Like clockwork, come mid-October, social media lit up with a slew of memes teasing about his return, joking that it was nearly time to "let him out of his cave" to properly ring in the Yuletide season. Although it somewhat bothered him that he wasn't  _ as _ known for his nonseasonal, big band style of music, he knew better than to ignore what made his fans buy his music. It had been a while since he’d recorded his last so it was of little surprise to him when he got the order from the higher ups that be that he was to record another that summer. 

In order to keep the interest high, though, and to keep his sanity in tack (one could only record so many Christmas hits that one would then have to sing for the next couple of years in concerts, over and over and over and over), his record label sent him a list of new collaborators. They’d done this before, too, so he had expected it. It was full of other big names, Broadway performers and movie stars with a "hidden" vocal talent; anyone with enough draw to interest music listeners into hearing a new version of something as overtired as songs about snowmen or snowflakes. In his youth he detested sharing the spotlight, wanting to be known only for  _ his  _ talent and hard work, but now, as he neared a decade in the business, he appreciated someone else shouldering half the work on the songs. But the list this time…

"Who  _ are  _ these people?" Ben scowled, throwing it down onto his coffee table before him. 

"They're the young women the label has recently signed that the execs think you'd sound good with--" 

Ben cut off Armitage with a growl. "I've never even  _ heard  _ of these kids. Please tell me that you've not wrestled up the offshoots of old Kidz Bop contracts or something." He sighed, his hands sliding up into his hair. "Are they trying to tell me I'm old, or something? I'm barely even thirty." 

Armitage laughed, leaning back in his chair. "It would give the tabloids something more fun to report on than you grocery shopping in shorts. I think people really do think you only wear formal wear or, like, a Santa suit." 

Ben wrinkled his nose up in disgust. "Yes, because clearly if I'm recording music with a barely legal, we  _ must  _ be fucking. Why are tabloids so bent on destroying my wholesome, good boy image?" 

"You're lucky enough that no one has figured out your The Knights of Ren history," Armitage reminded him with a smirk. "Your Kylo Ren days are bound to be dredged up by some internet sleuth sooner or later." 

Ben grimaced, nodding. "Nothing can truly erase Myspace." 

It was a heavily protected secret that Ben Solo, the symbol of modern day big band music and beloved by women of all ages (but mostly that 40+ range) had gotten his start as part of an emo grunge band called The Knights of Ren (or KoR to fans) when he was only fifteen. He and his friends had formed the band, created a whole image based around the early 2000's emo culture, and made their Myspace page where Ben, as lead singer Kylo Ren, would scream-sing his boyhood angst at anyone who visited it. They were noticed by record executives, got signed, and even made two albums, one of which went gold. As the boys all matured, however, they realized that there wasn't as much anger in their hearts as teenage hormones dictated. They became less enthused about making their music and then, when an exec heard Ben  _ actually  _ singing, the change was made. The Knights of Ren were disbanded, some moving on to playing in other bands while others quit the music business entirely, and Ben Solo's new career was crafted. 

His guyliner was thrown out, his hair was cut and fluffed, and he even packed on pounds of muscle to distance himself from those lean, sinewy days of his youth. His old school style of singing was fine tuned and he was unleashed unto the world as a fresh face, nineteen and the new Sinatra. People clamored for his music, thrilled for a resurgence of an era of bygone glamor. It wasn't long before he was the voice of every wedding and then the entirety of the holiday season. Kylo Ren was dead and long lived Ben Solo, or so the record label really,  _ really  _ hoped. Luckily, Ben's teen angst had been strong enough that he'd left very little trace of who he really was behind and no one had guessed it yet. 

"I have their samples here for you," Gwen announced as she strode into Ben's living room, brandishing her phone. She sat on his sofa and reclined back, perfectly at ease in the lush surroundings. "There is one in particular I hope you pick. She's a little Broadway starlet, no starring roles to her name but several strong supporting. She was in a show with Tallie this last year, who sang her praises left and right. She says she's really something." 

Tallie had been Ben's main pick five years ago, the two recording a total of five songs together. She was hot off her success of voicing a new Disney character after a lustrous career starring in some of the biggest Broadway shows of the past two decades. Ben had been enamoured with her talent and kept up a strong bond with her, amazed by her command of the world around them. She was the first to laugh and agree with someone criticized her voice, nothing ever seeming to bother her. Although Ben had made amazing strides since his KoR days, he still struggled with seeing the critiques. The tabloids, of course, thirsted after this connection, painting Tallie as a cougar and Ben her cub, but, thankfully, nothing came of it in the end. Ben and Tallie's purely platonic relationship annoyed the tabloids and the rumors fizzled out after a while. 

"Let's see her," Ben said, holding out his hand.

"Is it who I think it is?" Armitage asked, smirking over at her. 

Gwen just smirked back and handed her phone over to Ben, the young woman in question already pulled up. 

Ben gazed down at her picture. She was young and, quite frankly, beautiful. She had a natural tan, the type that came from spending her time outdoors and not in a booth. There were even freckles dusting over her pert little nose and across her cheeks, begging him to zoom in and take a closer look at each one. She had a bright smile, teeth perfectly straight and white, with lips a pretty shade of pink. And then there was the way her smile made her hazel eyes crinkle up just a bit, a look of genuine happiness and not that manufactured smile needed in most headshots. Her chestnut hair was styled in a purely unique style, three buns down the top of her head with a few wisps framing her face. She was beautiful in a way that made Ben's chest ache. It was almost unfair. 

"Rey Niima, age nineteen, discovered at age eight by a West End producer. She was an orphan, wandering around some little nowhere east of London, just singing to herself. It's like she was a real life lost little waif, so  _ naturally  _ he cast her. She was placed in the foster care of a fellow performing family, who moved across the pond just two years ago in hopes of getting Rey more notice on the Broadway circuit. She has the loveliest mezzo voice, a smooth, clear tone. She can belt, too, although I think you two would be better suited for some romantic crooning," Gwen explained. 

Ben clicked on the video below her photo. It was from a song recorded by a living Broadway legend, Amilyn Holdo, along with a popular movie star, Jessika Pava. Ben listened, surprised that the young singer was able to hold her own against this powerhouse duo of singers. She had a clear charm, her personality shining through her voice. Even her accent was endearing, slipping through stronger on some words than others. Ben didn't need to hear any of the other girls. 

"This is her," Ben agreed. 

Gwen's face lit up in a triumphant smile. "I'll contact her manager."

* * *

Ben wasn't an active part of the negotiations, but he knew that they'd taken a while. Apparently, although she was signed to Final Order, same as him, her manager was adamant for a higher payment and more perks. Gwen had a certain smirk whenever she kept Ben up to date on the proceedings that he had yet to decipher, but he was more interested in hearing the final outcome of their song list than he was in how she was being compensated. Whatever sly secrets Gwen knew, she was clearly keen to keep them to herself.

It was a hot July day when Ben finally arrived at the studio to begin. They had two days of learning the songs and rehearsing, a planned four to record, and then a day for photos. In all, they had planned on Ben Solo spending a full week with Rey Niima, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to it. He'd hunted down more footage of her singing, becoming increasingly enraptured in her talent. It had been a long time since another singer excited him like this and he was looking forward to it. 

"She's already in the rehearsal space," Hux said as he led Ben through the stylish studio. Final Order never spared any expense, after all, it wasn't their way. "She's, um, young." 

Ben raised an eyebrow, confused by what Hux meant. They all knew the girl was a decade or more younger than them, why was that news now? Armitage offered nothing more as they approached. Ben, though, realized what Hux meant soon enough. 

They could see her through the window looking into the space, a young woman standing beside a piano, her back to the window. Not that Ben minded, of course. It was a hot day, after all, a true city scorcher, so it was hardly a surprise that she was dressed in a pair of tiny little jean shorts and a white tank top. Those shorts of her showed off her legs, her long,  _ long  _ legs, and an ass that Ben could only think of as  _ perfect.  _ Damn, none of the videos had really shown off that feature of her.

"So that's what you meant," Ben said, his voice just this side of tight. Well, shit. Ben couldn’t remember the last time he was even remotely interested in someone on first in-person sight, but he was suddenly very interested in her. As  _ more _ than a duet partner. 

"Have a good time, buddy," Hux smirked, clapping his friend on the shoulder. 

"Stop ogling the barely legal and let's get in there," Gwen scoffed, coming towards the two. She was dressed in a crisp white linen suit, looking ever the powerhouse she was. Not even heat could deter Gwendoline Phasma from looking incredibly fashionable. 

Gwen ushered Ben into the room, leaving behind a smug-looking Hux. The sound of the door opening alerted Rey, as well the others in the room that Ben was embarrassed to say he hadn't really noticed before. The way her face lit up made Ben stutter. Oh, no, her smile was even more beautiful in person, too. Maybe he should have picked someone else, because how in the world was he going to get through recording with someone like her? She was distracting in the best possible way. 

“Rey, darling, so glad to see you again,” Gwen greeted, coming up to lean down and kiss Rey’s cheeks. “Finn, Poe, Mitaka, always a pleasure,” she continued to greet, everyone nodding at their names. 

Finn was the rehearsal pianist, while Poe was the music arranger. The two worked closely together, leading to certain rumors amongst the studio. Ben didn’t care what they did in their personal time, so long as they listened to what keys he wanted to sing in and what time signatures he wanted when. Honestly, he would have been pleased to see Poe finally settle down, as he was perhaps the biggest flirt Ben had ever met in his life, but he worried that even someone as strong willed as Finn may not be enough to tamper Poe’s sexual magnetism. Mitaka, meanwhile, was their recording technician, working with Gwen and Hux in the booth to make sure the right sound quality was being met. 

“Rose, so glad to see you again, too. May I introduce you ladies to the one and only Ben Solo. Ben Solo, this is Rey Niima, your duet partner for the season, and her manager, Rose Tico,” Gwen finished. 

Rey turned her bright smile on to Ben, almost bouncing with excitement. The way she had to tip her head back to look up him was nothing new, Ben knew he was tall, but there was something about seeing just how tall he was compared to her was doing some unprofessional things inside his head. He really needed to get his shit together. 

That was, until he shook her hand. It was like a spark, like a sudden flash of connection. He knew she felt it, too, because those petal pink lips of hers parted in surprise and her beautiful hazel eyes went wide. He gave her something of a smirk, hoping to reassure her that he had felt it, too. Her returning smile was the only confirmation he needed. 

“Alright, then! If you two are done gazing stupidly into each other’s eyes like the meet-cute of a cheesy rom-com, we have to get down to business!” The tiny but formidable Rose announced. Although there was an edge to her voice, there was almost a clear sense of amusement. When Ben and Rey turned towards the others present, they could see that her expression was reflected on everyone else. 

_ Great.  _

“Let’s sit, shall we?” Gwen offered, ever poised and collection as she gestured to the plush leather sofas off in the corner of the room. She, Ben, and Mitaka occupied one couch while Rey, Rose, and Finn occupied the other, Poe lounging on the lone arm chair. Gwen set down a file on the coffee table, pulling out some paperwork that she handed around. “We have an eight song deal to be even broken up between both of your otherwise solo Christmas albums being released this season. Miss Niima has requested some standards: “The First Noel”, “Silent Night”, “O Holy Night”, and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Her song requests are negotiable, however, she has some hard no’s.” 

“Miss Niima refuses to record “Last Christmas”, “All I Want for Christmas (Is You)”, and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”,” Rose cut in. “She has also asked to refrain from covering “Simply Having (A Wonderful Christmas Time)” as it is her favorite song in its original form and she does not want it desecrated in any way.” 

“Rose,” Rey hissed under her breath, a blush touching up on her freckled cheeks. 

“What? It’s true!” Rose shrugged back. 

“Luckily, Mr. Solo has already recorded “Last Christmas” on a past album, so there’s no issue there. The other songs are also on Mr. Solo’s list of no,” Gwen nodded in affirmation. 

“We’ll need to balance a more classic tone with a few contemporary songs,” Poe cut in. “We don’t want listeners bored to death. Now, we have already decided on some other songs for Ben’s album as a solo artist: “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers”, “(It Must Have Been) Ol’ Santa Claus”, and “Rudolph”, so there are some faster ones, but I must insist that we throw in at least one or two uptempo songs for your duets.” 

“Rey’s solo album is only going to be a short cut, eight tracks in total,” Rose said. “”Run, Run Rudolph”, “4 Carats”, and “Underneath the Tree”, as well as an original song.” 

Ben perked up at that. “An original? That’s amazingly ambitious for a new artist.” 

“Are you saying it’s the wrong move?” Rey asked, peering up at him with something of a challenge in her eyes. 

“No, I think it’s the perfect move. What better way to get mainstream notice than by being the one original song that they’re going to hear amidst the millionth version of someone else’s last original hit?” Ben replied. “I have built an entire career on being a cover artist, twisting things to my own style, but it’s still my original songs that get the most plays. The more you can put out there, the more people hear of your voice without comparing it to anyone else’s, the better.” 

Rey and Rose both preened at the praise from a veteran singer. 

“Stop being modest. You have two original songs on your album,” Poe pointed out. “Written and arranged by yours truly,” he added, smirking proudly at Rose. 

“Collaboratively,” Gwen stressed. “Ben wrote half the words before coming to you. You filled in the blanks and fine tuned the melody he had thought of.” 

“Poe came up with the hook  _ and  _ improved the bridge,” Finn interjected. 

“Not the time,” Ben interrupted before it could get too far. Every artist knew that the creative process could get a bit tense, but he didn’t need Rey (or Rose, he supposed) seeing how they could scuffle before getting to the good stuff. “Let’s look at the arrangements Poe’s come up with for the songs on Miss Niima’s list.” 

“Rey,” she said. When all eyes turned to her, she blushed even brighter. “You can just call me Rey.” 

“Ben,” he replied, lips quirking in a smile. 

“ _ So, _ about that music!” Rose proclaimed, clapping her hands loudly in hopes of capturing their attention again. 

“Ah, yes. There are a few songs I’ve yet to record so I asked Poe to prepare them for us.” Ben reached over Gwen and grabbed the sheet music for the four songs. He handed them over to Rey, giving her a small smile. “I thought these would be a good fit for your voice. You have a beautiful belt, a very strong mezzo.” 

“Thank you.” If Rey could blush more, she would. She leafed through the songs, her smile growing. “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, “Jingle Bell Rock”, “Merry Christmas, Darling”, and… “”God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” in atempo? This arrangement looks incredible. So fast paced and energetic. Can we do this one first?” 

“Absolutely,” Ben agreed before he could even think of it. 

He was so focused on Rey that he barely noticed how the others all smirked knowingly at each other.

“I guess that’s what we’re starting with. Finn?” Gwen said, gesturing towards the piano. 

As everyone moved towards the piano, Rose slid between Finn and Poe, smirking knowingly at the two singers in front of them. 

“Anyone want to make a bet on how long it will take them?” she asked. 

“If they aren’t kissing by the end of today, I’ll be shocked,” Mitaka chimed in from behind. 

“Now, now, these are our stars. Let’s show them a little respect,” Gwen piped in. “They’ll fuck by the end of tomorrow, no question about it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, things are sure going swell, aren't they? Would be a shame if they...suddenly didn't. Hmmmmm...


	2. Discord and discourse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick update for Christmas morning! I hope everyone has a wonderful one if you celebrate! 😘😘😘  
> (Quietly raises chapter count then flees)

As it turned out, that spark of attraction easily morphed into something much less beautiful. The others weren’t sure if it was a battle for dominance to show off due to sexual tension or if it was true animosity. What had begun with battling eyelashes and sweet, not-so-sneaky smiles turned into glares and snarls, voices rising to the point of concern for their precious, gold-making vocal cords. 

“If we switched parts here, it would make more sense! I have the higher voice!” Rey was arguing, nearly stabbing at her arrangement of “Merry Christmas, Darling.” 

“But this what makes  _ sense _ , narratively! We’ve broken the lyrics up so that it’s a conversation, not a monologue, so we have to stick with it!” Ben argued back. He picked up his own music, practically shoving it in her face. “If I’m speaking here, you’re responding  _ here! _ It makes more sense!” 

“Then we need to switch parts entirely! It makes no sense for you to be singing the upper notes! I’m the girl here, not you!” Rey pushed back. 

“You want to be the one calling  _ me  _ ‘darling’? Seriously?” Ben shot back, one dark eyebrow shooting into his hairline. 

“What’s the big deal? Women call their men darling all the time! It’s not weird!” Rey snapped. 

“That’s enough!” Gwen finally shouted, slamming her fist on the piano. Ignoring Finn and Poe’s cries of outrage at the abuse to the instrument, she pointed one perfectly manicured finger at the two singers. “Sort your shit out  _ right now _ or I figure out a way to fuck both of your pays. Your childish squabbling is costing the studio  _ thousands _ right now. Either be professional or take a walk.” 

Ben and Rey continued to huff at one another, glaring hard. It was Ben who finally conceded, turning away from the women with a low growl. He moved along the piano, looking at his music as if he was really studying the notes. He didn’t need to call attention to the fact that their little tiff had led to him being achingly hard. Who the hell got hard from arguing with a beautiful young woman wearing the tiniest shorts imaginable, with the voice of an angel and the wit of a devil? Who got hard over the way her hazel eyes lit up to a bright emerald in her rage, the way her pouty lips pulled back in a mean snarl, or how her perfect little tits heaved against her tight top as she huffed and puffed? It was clear that she would forever hate him, now, so why did it matter how much he wanted her? She was too good for him anyway. 

“May I take a break?” Rey asked quietly. 

“Absolutely. Go get some water. Fifteen minutes then we’re back,” Gwen conceded. 

Rose was at her side in an instant. “He’s just a jerk, okay? Clearly all that gentlemanly charm is fabricated for the media. He’s a bully and he just wants it his way or not at all.” 

Rey frowned as she and Rose moved towards the mini fridge near the lounge area. “No, no. Tallie said he was incredible to work with. Very collaborative, very understanding of her needs and her vision. And it’s not like that was just five years ago when they last recorded together. She said she sees him all the time and he hasn’t changed a bit.” Accepting the water bottle Rose handed her, she picked at the label. “I just don’t know what it is. Something about him just gets under my skin. It’s like--ugh, I don’t know! When I look at him and listen to him, I feel one thing, but then, when we’re singing and he’s standing there,  _ clearly _ trying to overpower me, I get so, so--!” 

“You’re so turned on right now, I’m almost embarrassed for you,” Rose sniggered. 

“What? No I’m not!” Rey hissed quietly, tugging Rose further into the corner of the room. “Why would you say that? You just said he was a jerk.” 

“I was just saying that because I’m your loving and supportive manager, not to mention your best friend, and I wanted you to feel like you could open up and vent. However, I’m also not blind and I can see how badly you want to climb him like a tree. Trust me, babe, you’re not alone in that. He’s gorg,” Rose smirked in approval.

“You’re being so unprofessional right now,” Rey gasped. 

“And you’re deflecting,” Rose shot. “You two are either going to rip each other’s eyes out or clothes off. Either way, please remember that we are here to make connections and money and I need you to leave all that sexual tension for after the session, yeah?” 

“There’s no sexual tension,” Rey muttered, successfully tearing her label off. “He’s just a big, dumb, pushy jerk who only wants his voice heard and wants me to be his glorified back up singer.” 

“So is that why you blush so hard when he looks deep into your eyes and croons ‘darling’ at you?” Rose teased. 

“I did not. You’re insane,” Rey said. “Hey, look, your boyfriends are looking at us. Why don’t you go worry about  _ your  _ sexual tension and I’ll worry about dealing with Solo, kay?” 

Rose wanted to argue but she knew she had none. She threw a wink and blew a kiss at her friend before scampering over to the piano where Finn and Poe were standing. They needed to decide on who was cooking dinner tonight, after all. 

Rey sighed as she sagged onto the back of the couch. This was harder than she thought it would be. She positively idolized Ben Solo, had since she was a little girl of just nine. So fresh and new to the world of performing, she’d latch onto his crooning as a source of comfort when the pressure had seemed too great to bear. She followed his career ever since then, his music always in her ears when she’d prepare for an audition or performance. When she’d done the show with Tallie, she’d been a restless and, quite frankly, annoying little pest until she finally got up the courage to ask her what it was like to record with the legend. Tallie’s tales of her relationship with Ben, of how she’d mentored him and enjoyed a platonic friendship with him only deepening Rey’s admiration for him further. Being at the same label as him had been a dream come true! 

Being signed to Final Order Records hadn’t been part of Rey or her adoptive parent’s plans. As a Broadway performer, most of the chances Rey got to record were tied to the usual labels, Forceghost or Pacific. Although she was free to record with whomever she liked as a soloist, she’d wanted to work with Forceghost the most of all, having always enjoyed her experiences with them. However, upon starting in her third Broadway show, she suddenly gotten a message that changed her life. She had a family member, a biological link to her past. Her grandfather, Shreev Palpatine, was very near death, but when he saw her that night in the theater, he’d known she was the long lost granddaughter that he was so sure had died alongside her parents. Although he wasn’t able to shed much light on what had happened to cause their tragic deaths (an awful car accident, he explained to her, bodies burnt to a crisp, near unidentifiable) he was happy to accept her into his family and set her up to take on his legacy. He had started Final Order records, after all. Rey was signed to them without a second thought, although deciding on a name had been a point of contention. She had been given the name Niima by the foster system, adopted into the Andor family, and found out she was a Palpatine. She wasn’t entirely sure  _ who _ she should be, professionally speaking, but after talking it out with the Andor’s, they all agreed that Rey Niima was who she had known herself as the longest and they reassured her that they were not offended if she chose to remain like that. Her grandfather hadn’t been entirely pleased by this but he did at least agree that she didn’t need his last name to make her famous.

Rey  _ did _ suspect, though, that her heritage had something to do with why she was on Ben Solo’s list of possible duet partners for his newest Christmas CD. Rose had shown her the rest of the list: a handful of like-aged women who all had a single out there on mainstream radio. She was definitely an outlier, the only one who had roots purely in the theatre world. But Rose and her grandfather had agreed that releasing a Christmas CD before her solo CD was a good way to gauge interest. People were bound to listen to any version of classics and, like Ben said, they also always appreciated something new. It could be enough to make her a big star right off the bat. That was what they were banking on, at least. So getting the call to record  _ with  _ Ben Solo was incredible news, a surefire road to success. 

She, Rey Niima, was going to record with  _ the _ Ben Solo. The man whose voice had comforted her for years, the man who had unknowingly helped her through the toughest times. The man who was absolutely her first crush and was some, cruelly, even  _ more _ beautiful in person. She was stunned when she’d first laid eyes on him and seen how big he really was. It wasn’t fair. He was the man of her dreams, her be all end all of crushes, and he was here. He was here and he was a big, stupid jerk who she was being so stupid in front of because she had the biggest stupid crush ever and she just wanted to impress him! Why, oh why, couldn’t she just keep her mouth shut and follow his lead? Well, she knew that answer: she’d survived in this world advocating for herself so it was hard for her to bow to the will of someone else. But why couldn’t she just ignore those instincts and bow to  _ him?  _

“Let’s just call it a day,” Gwen announced. She’d whispering sternly to Ben throughout the whole break, Hux at her side and nodding along. Rey had to wonder what they’d said that left him looking like...well,  _ that.  _ It was like he could scorch her soul. 

(Rey would very privately hold in the information that maybe she wouldn't mind if he did). 

"But we're not done!" Poe protested. 

"No, and we won't  _ be  _ done at this rate. There was been too much stress on their vocal cords for this session to be of any further use. I am declaring vocal rest for them both until we reconvene tomorrow. Any protests, Miss Tico?" Gwen asked, raising an eyebrow at the fellow manager. 

"Oh, uh, no. Nope. None from me, thanks," Rose replied, clearly thrown off by the sudden decision and not ready to fight the Amazonian woman over it. 

Rey deflated. She hated feeling like she'd failed, because clearly she had. She silently cursed herself for letting her own stubbornness make her seem unprofessional and wasting everyone's time. She would have voiced this, too, but she, like Rose, recognized a losing battle when she saw one in Gwen's orders and swallowed her words down. Shoulders sagged and head drooped low, she quietly collected her things. 

"Hey, don't be too sad, Peanut. Go home, take a bubble bath, drink tons of tea, and then be prepared to blow everyone away tomorrow," Finn comforted as he shuffled his sheet music into his messenger bag. He leaned over and kissed Rey's head when she didn't perk up like he'd hope she would. That, at least, got a small smile out of her. 

Until she dared glance up and caught Ben's eye. Oh, yes, searing was definitely his intention. It had intensified, his gaze harder than it had been even when they were at the peak of their fighting. Shockingly, though, it was a brief look, one quickly replaced by a mask of pure calm. He gave her the slightest incline of the head, one that simply promised another meeting, before swiftly departing from the room. Gwen and Hux followed him shortly after, Gwen's voice rising in her own stern admonishments that were too muffled to be understood. Rey winced, feeling bad that she was part of the cause. 

"Do you want to come over for dinner? Poe is making tapas," Rose offered, sidling up to give Rey's shoulders a squeeze. 

Rey shook her head "no". She gave Rose a small smile and a hug, preparing to depart. When she got to Poe, though, he slipped something into her hand. 

"I've worked with Ben for a long time, sweets, and I've never seen him act like that. Maybe you two can text and make up before tomorrow? Make some sweet music for me?" Poe winked. When Rey blushed, he chuckled and kissed her cheek. "And don't worry, I'll still bring you some tapas tomorrow."

"Goodnight, sweetie!" Rose called as Rey moved to the exit.

Rey threw one last wave their way before leaving the rehearsal studio. She was relieved to not see Ben or his entourage in the parking lot. She held it together as she made the drive to her apartment, battling the urge to rage or cry or even laugh. This was  _ not  _ how she expected today to go at all. 

As she slipped into her Finn-ordered bubble bath, a steaming cup of tea waiting on her bath caddy and calming candles all lit, she threw a glance at the little piece of paper sitting crumpled on her bathroom counter. 

She didn't want to do it. She shouldn't be the one who apologized. She wasn't even the one who  _ started  _ it...right? Sighing heavily and sinking further into her one-in-a-million big city apartment bathtub (thank you, estranged and very rich grandfather) she thought back on how it all started. 

_ Shit.  _ It had been her, hadn't it? She'd been the one who let her hackles rise when Ben had made a small, and ultimately truly helpful, comment on her tonal quality. She really was immature, wasn't she? Groaning at this new revelation, she wondered what to do. Did she text him? Maybe she should email him. Or maybe it was best to let them both calm down on their own this evening and go in tomorrow in better spirits. That was the better plan, right? No need to bother him during his private time. Maybe he had a girlfriend who was with him right now, respecting his need for vocal rest but still helping him relax? 

Rey submerged herself fully to suppress an even louder growl of frustration. Why did that thought make her jealous? Shouldn't her crush be over, dead, kaput now that she knew that he was a (again, in hindsight, very helpful) jerk!? Why did she still like him? Why did she still think of that dark look in his eyes and shiver? Why did she still think of his smile and moan? Why did she still need to get out of this tub and take her frustrations out on a mechanical level, visions only of Ben Solo in her head? 

When her not-so-relaxing bath was through and her tea with copious amounts of honey was gone, she curled into her bed and glared at that stupid piece of paper that she was just letting  _ follow her  _ everywhere! She shouldn't do it. It was so dumb. 

_ Don't do it, Rey! Don't!  _

With a loud huff, she snatched up her phone and the paper and jabbed out a very quick "this is Rey Niima. I'd like to talk about my behavior today" text before slamming her phone back on her nightstand. She then proceeded to glare at it for what felt like hours, willing it to light up, begging it to show some sign of response. Maybe Poe had gotten the number wrong? Maybe there  _ was  _ a girlfriend and she saw a text from a girl and deleted it immediately out of jealousy. Maybe he read it and decided that he had already said all he needed to say to her.

* * *

When Rey startled awake that next morning, she discovered that her text had been read but not responded to. She swallowed down the lump of disappointment in her throat as she prepared to head back to the studio today. Maybe her crush really could die now. She definitely felt like she wanted to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *gasp* wow. Who could have possibly forseen these circumstances? I am utterly shocked. I cannot believe someone would do such a thing. Wow.


	3. Making Harmonies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone had a good Christmas!!!! Please enjoy!

"A little musical note, mmkay? How about you two refrain yelling today, keep your vocal cords beautifully used, and sing the songs the way I expertly penned them, yeah?” Poe said with a jovial smile as he entered the studio, Finn and Rose at his side. 

It was another hot day outside, possibly even hotter than the last, and Ben had not at all been in the mood for it when he woke up. He felt absolutely wretched, up almost the entire night tossing and turning over what had happened yesterday. He, like the big, dumb idiot he was, had let his temper flare yesterday for the first time in years when his duet partner had pushed his buttons too far. He shouldn't have done that. He should have been the mature one, the one with all the knowledge and experience. He should have set the example for the ingenue in their midst when instead he was stupid and stubborn and ruined it all. The new-asshole ripping he'd gotten from Gwen (thrice over, as she couldn't stop having a last say) stung, but not quite as bad as the crestfallen look on Rey's face. 

And Rey. Rey  _ Palpatine _ , as Gwen had informed him yesterday. She'd given Ben a brief history of the girl, of her tragic childhood and her newly found family. This girl who grew up poor, managed to survive purely based on her talent alone, and then found herself suddenly an heiress to a literal empire. An empire that was closely tied to Ben's own  _ fate,  _ and here he was, being an asshole to her. All of this was still so new to her and he had to be immature and throw a fit because, what? She wouldn't just listen to him? Because her ideas were better than his and he felt threatened? Because she was beautiful and her voice was so incredible and her ass looked so fucking juicy in her shorts that his brain didn't know how to function? None of those were excuse enough but Ben, stupid Ben, had pushed her too far and ruined her day. 

And possibly her evening, too. But he hadn't been in the right mindset to respond to her late night text. He had just come out of a steaming shower than he'd allowed to turn ice cold, his thoughts still too jumbled and frustrated. He had even tried masturbating, hoping to relieve his tensions, but he kept losing the image of her sunny face, her sadness interrupting and feeding his own. He didn't want to respond to her text with an outpouring of all of his dumb emotions. He didn't want to scare her off with how intensely he felt everything, including and most of all his attraction to her. 

If ever there was a time that he  _ missed  _ his screamo band days, last night had been it. He longed for the release his angst-ridden music had granted him. He ended up falling asleep with the sounds of KoR's unreleased music in his ears, the tracks they'd laid down before their disbanding, never to be heard by anyone but them. The melancholy from the cusp of his adulthood had soothed him to sleep, reminding him that he'd overcome all that pain once so he could do it again.

“Thank you, Poe. I’ll be sure to nail my part this time. It’s a welcome challenge to sing the lower part sometimes,” Rey replied, coming out from behind the trio. 

Ben's heart squeezed to see her attempting a chipper attitude, even as her eyes met his in a look of equal parts shame and despair. Even her clothes seemed to reflect her sadness: gray cotton leggings and a loose white tunic, clothes that took no effort to wear. He missed his sunny girl from yesterday and cursed himself for being the reason she no longer was. 

“That’s my girl! What a fantastic attitude!” Rose cheered. 

Rey moved to approach the piano, silently adjusting her music stand. Ben wanted to say something,  _ anything _ , but now seemed inappropriate. He'd have to wait for a break so they could talk in private. He owed her so many apologies. 

“I thought we’d set aside our dear “Darling” for now and move on to “O Holy Night”. Ben, you’ll lead us in with the first two lines, Rey will pick up the second set, Ben will sing about hope and the morn, and Rey will fall to her knees--um, I mean, you...you all know,” Finn finished with a bright flush on his cheeks. “How about we sing, yeah?” 

Ben's eyes swept over to Rey. He could feel his blush up to the tips of his thankfully covered ears, his lips pressing to a thin line. She looked likewise mortified, hazel eyes gone wide and cheeks flushed bright pink. He heard Rose and Poe's snickers, and he could  _ feel  _ Gwen and Hux's smirks. This was just  _ great. _

"Let's run through some warm ups first, Finn. Get these kids comfortable again," Gwen insisted, breaking the tension. 

"Great idea," Poe approved. 

Finn ran them through a handful of scales, lip trills, and diction exercises, the voices of the singers becoming stronger as they moved along, blending together seamlessly. Ben wanted to reach out for her hand, to reassure her that their voices sounded  _ great  _ together and they were going to get over their stupidity and nail this. He restrained himself, though. No one needed any more awkward tension. 

"I think it's time to sing!" Poe said, clapping his hands in delight. He ran through the tempo with Finn quickly, Ben and Rey nodding along. All seemed determined that this day be a better success than yesterday had been. 

Luckily, the classic had went  _ blessedly _ better, even though Rey gave a heartbreakingly cute little squeak through her first line of falling on her knees, a little glance up at Ben making his heart pound. Reminding himself that he was a professional, not a horny adolescent, he joined focused on keeping his tone smooth and clear. When his voice joined hers on “oh night divine o night”, he could see a sparkle of tears springing to her eyes. Their voices blended so beautifully that he was beginning to forget why they'd fought yesterday at all.

He decided to trust his instincts (and prove that he could be a thoughtful song partner) and asked to make a change in the song. Poe had originally assigned Ben the held belt on “divine” in the final chorus but Ben backed away from it, insisting that Rey’s voice deserved to shine on that part instead. Poe hardly needed convincing, excitedly reworking the lines so that they were switched.

“I mean, I was absolutely going to do that anyway. I switched your parts in the second refrain, it was lazily to not go back to the original way for the final. I mean, it’s clearly the way that makes the most sense. I was going to do it,” Poe said as he handed the music back to his singers. 

“Sure, Jan,” Rose smirked. She reached down and gave Poe's butt a little slap, winking at him to remove any sting. 

“I hope you’re okay with the change?” Ben asked softly, gazing down at Rey. 

“It’s really generous of you. The belt line is what makes the song so famous. Are you sure you don’t want it?” Rey replied. 

“Your voice is much better suited for it than mine is, Rey,” he insisted, gentle but firm. 

And it really was. Rose and Gwen  _ both  _ brushed away tears when they did their final run through of the song, Finn and Poe smiling brightly while even Hux looked beyond pleased. 

“Mitaka, please tell me you got that take,” Gwen called out. 

“I’ve got it,” Mitaka announced back through the com. 

“You were recording that?” Rey gasped, turning back to look into the control room. “It’s too raw!” 

“It was perfect. You sounded beautiful,” Ben reassured her.

“It was just a sound quality check,” Hux chimed in, “to hear how you blend together on a mechanical level so when we actually record the day after next. Obviously things will be different once you’re both on mic, but it’s always good for the technician to have a baseline idea.” 

“Plus it was flawless,” Rose giddily supplied.

“Mitaka, please play it back," Gwen ordered with a cross of her arms over her chest, a smirk of pleasure on her lips. 

Ben wasn't a fan of hearing his own voice. He heard nothing but the flaws, always cringing at the things he should have done differently: an odd pronunciation here, a strangely held note there. While Mitaka was incredible at adjusting things to perfection, Ben liked it to be  _ his  _ voice that was excellent, not Mitaka's editing. It was Gwen and Hux's jobs to listen to his tracks and give him notes, Ben only joining in moments of extreme duress. But for Rey, he's endure. She deserved to hear how beautiful her voice sounded on the song of her choice. 

He watched the emotions that played over her face, watching her eyes widen at some parts and mist over at others. He was suddenly struck by the idea that this may be her first time doing this. Seeing the way her face lit up at hearing how perfectly she nailed her sustained note was making him suddenly reconsider his stance on not listening to himself. He, too, felt giddy at the sound of their voices. As the song faded out, he couldn't look away from the joy on her face. 

"See. Beautiful," he whispered to her. 

She looked up at him, that sunniness back in place. "So are you, Ben. So are you."

"Send that to Mr. Palpatine and Mr. Snoke, Mitaka. They'll be pleased to hear how we're spending their money," Hux instructed. "And since the lovebirds have finally remembered how to play nice, shall we move on?" 

"Armitage, that's inappropriate," Ben scolded. Without realizing he'd done so, he moved to shield Rey from Hux's view. "We are all professionals here. There's no need for the peanut gallery to insist on reinforcing the idea of a romantic connection between Miss Niima and myself. Let's be mature." 

"Yes, mature. It's not like anyone here would throw a fit or two over minor details," Hux snorted. 

"It's just some light teasing, Mr. Solo. No harm done," Rose added. "Plus, she's always had a crush on you, so why deny it?" 

" _ Rose!"  _ Rey hissed, fury in her voice. 

Ben's blush deepened. The fire in Rey's voice could do nothing  _ but  _ confirm the words of her manager. But they'd still acted like idiots yesterday, still been disrespectful of each other. He wouldn't dwell on the information about Rey's crush and would instead focus on how to be worthy enough of her affections.

"Time is money, kids. Let's go," Gwen said with a few snaps of her fingers. When Ben looked at her, she gave him a very subtle wink, reassuring him that she was looking out for him. She may have also ripped him apart yesterday for "ogling a teenager" but she followed it up with a soft support of the relationship, should one ever exist. 

"Rey would be good for you, Ben. And you'd be good for her. The two of you have a lot in common. I'm sure you could help each other heal and grow," she'd said last night before they finally departed. "However, be careful. If you break her heart you'll have a lot more than tabloids to worry over." 

It was enough of a warning to make Ben cautious. She wasn't at all wrong, after all. He may want Rey, but the repercussions could be severe. However, a glance down at her once again reinforced that he would be willing to take those risks. He really needed some sunshine in his life.

* * *

There was another fight. This time it was Hux and Rose, which bled into Finn and Poe rising to defend their girlfriend, which led to Gwen defending her...business partner, and, finally, Rey and Ben having the defend their individual teams. They'd held out, managing to creep backwards from the fight as long as possible, but push was beginning to come to shove (quite literally in Hux and Poe's case) and they had to step in. Ben pushed back Hux and Gwen while Rey came to hold back Rose, Finn already holding back Poe. 

"I think we all just need to calm down! We're almost done. Let's just forget what was said and move on," Ben commanded. 

"Wait, forget it? Ben, Hux  _ insulted  _ Rose. He needs to apologize," Rey said. 

"She insulted him first, so why should he be the one apologizing?" Ben asked, his surprise clear on his face. 

"She did  _ not!  _ She merely said that his notes were too rigid," Rey scoffed. 

"We all heard her add "like the stick up your ass" on the end of it. You can't pretend she didn't," Ben pointed out. 

"It was a  _ joke!  _ And he went way too far but talking about  _ her  _ ass! That's sexual harassment!" Rey snapped. 

"So was her comment!" Ben exploded. 

This time Mitaka had the unenviable task of breaking them all up. He came out from the booth and stepped between them, holding his hands out at his sides. "That is quite enough now. Tomorrow morning, we will all be here at 9AM to begin recording. I heavily suggest that you do a final run through of each song and then go  _ home _ ." 

"Doph, there's no need--"

Mitaka cut Gwen off with an unexpected glare. "Mr. Palpatine and Mr. Snoke were so excited by the recording of "O Holy Night" that they decided to come in tomorrow to watch the recording themselves. Our company CEO's will be here, so I suggest we remember whose money we are spending and what we are doing with it." 

Properly reminded, everyone deflated and fell back into place. Poe stepped in to play the piano, Rose and Finn excusing themselves so that they could go cool off. Likewise, Hux and Phasma went the opposite way down the hall. There was tension in the air but, as Poe led them through the songs, it once more evaporated. Free of so many judging eyes, Ben and Rey began to actually  _ play  _ together. They threw flirtatious glances where appropriate during the songs, laughed together in others, and were swaying in perfect rhythm for the slower ones. It was so much easier with Poe focused on his music, Mitaka taking note of the sound levels, and the two of them, happy to look into each other's eyes and serenade one another. It was magical, like nothing existed but the two of them. 

"That's a wrap!" Poe announced when they finished the song list. Noticing that the managers hadn't returned yet, he shrugged and stood up, sliding a list across the piano to the singers. "Here is the recording goals for the next two days. I think we're going to make some beautiful music, kids," Poe said. 

Ben picked up the paper, sharing it with Rey. And he maybe smelled her hair a little bit, seeing as how she was nearly tucked into his side. He could feel the heat of her, could feel how she really  _ was  _ like sunshine. It made his heart speed up. 

"Hey, Rey. I was wondering if we could maybe--" 

"How's it going in here? Are we done?" Gwen asked, charging back into the room with Armitage in tow. 

"All set! I just gave them the schedule for recording for the next three days," Poe nodded.

"Excellent. Let's go, Ben. We have dinner reservations tonight, remember? We're meeting with that man who wants to do a book on you?" Gwen said, glancing at her smartwatch to confirm the schedule. 

"In a minute," Ben replied. He looked back down at Rey. "I just wanted to--" 

"Rey bae, let's head out! I saw how you barely ate  _ any  _ tapas at lunch today. C'mon, come over and join us for dinner. It's my turn to cook," Rose announced, nearly skipping into the room with Finn close behind. 

Ben couldn't help but notice that Rose's hair was mussed and Finn's clothes looked a bit disheveled. Well, that absolutely confirmed his suspicions. He wondered at their dynamic at home, so many strong, opinionated people in a relationship together. He hoped they were all happy, at least. Still, he just needed to  _ talk to Rey.  _

"Wait just a minute, guys," Rey said. She looked back up at Ben and raised an eyebrow, waiting. 

"Could we please--"

"Ben. Now!" Gwen commanded. 

Ben glared at her but saw no leeway in her icy glare. Great. This was just  _ great.  _

"Fine," Ben snapped. Softer, to Rey only, he said, "We'll talk later. If you don't mind." 

"Oh. I wouldn't. That sounds--" 

"Rey! Let's go!" Finn called.

Both Ben and Rey let out frustrated growls, even those in near perfect harmonies. 

"Bye," Ben sighed. 

"Bye." 

As Ben stormed out of the room after Gwen and Armitage, he felt like he was in an even worse mood than yesterday. He just wanted to  _ apologize  _ to her! Didn't all those morons just spend the last two days teasing about a romance? Why were they cockblocking now!? They hadn't even left Ben and Rey alone during lunch. Finn, Rose, and Poe had ushered Rey outside to a picnic table while Gwen, Armitage, and Ben had set up lunch in a conference room. He had wanted to talk to Rey  _ then,  _ but it was impossible. Why was the universe so against them? 

He'd make it better tomorrow, damnit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll respond to comments soon, sorry I suck. I just want to feed you all this silly trash ASAP!


	4. A New Duet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey meet up to break the tension...and create some more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long! I hope you enjoy!"

Rey had been curled up on her couch, a pillow in her lap and a hand lazily petting her (technically purloined) cat at her side, when it happened. She ignored the buzzing of her phone at first, figuring it was just one of the trio checking to make sure she was home safely or that she’d had enough to eat or that she had enough BB food at her house and to ask that she please return him in a reasonable amount of time this time (it wasn’t her fault BB could sense her sadness and he followed her home. The orange and white fluff did what he wanted.) 

“What are your daddies or mummy trying to harass me about now?” Rey muttered to the cat. 

BB gave a little chirp of acknowledgement before rolling over and presenting his tummy for rubs. Rey knew that he had a 3 rubs rule before he’d bite, so she was cautious as she laid her hand down, her other moving to lift up her phone. 

Her heart stopped.

BB leapt across the room, offended that Rey had suddenly launched herself upright in shock. He gave a few annoyed chirps, glaring at her before moving on to settle in some other room where there wasn’t any commotion. 

Ben texted her. 

Ben. Texted.  _ Her.  _

He wanted to talk. He wanted to meet up and talk. He wanted to meet up with her,  _ tonight _ , and talk. 

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. 

Her immediate reaction was to pull up Rose’s number and beg for advice, but she stopped herself. No, Rose had no place in this. She didn’t need to show up tomorrow for recording and seeing the looks on the thruple’s faces, knowing that she’d left her apartment after nine at night to meet up with a famous man a decade her senior. They’d gone on and on at dinner, after all, going back and forth between praising Ben and decrying him, supporting the idea of them hooking up and forcing her to promise that she never would. To be fair, it was exactly what had been going on in her own head for the last two days, but hearing them needlessly argue had helped her make her decision. 

She was just going to see what he wanted to say and make choices from there. She was just going to change into a casual white sundress, maybe wear some sandals with heels (to make looking him in the eye easier, obviously) and head out to the address he’d sent. It was a park, apparently. Not the big one in the center of the city but one in a charming little neighborhood in a classy borough. She’d never been there before but at least it wasn’t too far away. She didn't consider herself a subway expert quite yet but she at least knew enough to figure out which trains to take to get there (okay, an app helped, but still). Her hair brushed and her route all set, she made her way out of her building, only to be stopped by an older gentleman standing beside a sleek black town car. He was completely bald, his head shining in the evening lights, and his eyes were a sharp blue. He had a lot of lines on his face, although even a quick glance told her that they were from years of smirking, not frowning. 

“Miss Niima, yes?” 

Rey paused, her heart dropping. What should she do? DId she acknowledge him or keep going? Was he a creepy stalker or was it possible that…

“Mr. Solo sent me to retrieve you. He didn’t think public transit would be particularly safe at this time of night,” the man said. 

Her first instinct was to argue, to say that she’d taken the subway by herself a lot of times at even later hours. Her second was to blush at the idea of Ben doing something so sweet and thoughtful. Her third was to point out that if Ben had wanted this, he’d have messaged her. Of course, a quick glance at her phone told her that he actually  _ had _ and she'd missed it. Blushing harder, she offered the nice man a sheepish smile and slid into the car. She sent Ben a quick thank you text, complete with a few smiling emojis, and tried not to overthink what was on her horizon. This was just a private discussion in a public place. There was nothing more happening here. She had no reason for the butterflies in her stomach. None. 

Especially not as the car pulled up and she saw him.  _ Him _ . Looking so dashing, standing on the sidewalk in his wonderfully tight black T-shirt and those dark rinse jeans of his that were also tight in  _ exactly  _ the right place (his wonderful arse, thank you). She wondered, as she did every day, if he was sweltering, but he never seemed to break a sweat. 

Some part of her  _ really  _ wanted to see what could make him perspire. She clenched her thighs at the thought. 

"Thank you for bringing her, Deetoo," Ben rumbled lowly as he opened the door for Rey. 

"My pleasure, Mr. Solo," the driver nodded back. "I'll be waiting for your next call. Take your time." 

Rey didn't miss the amused lilt in his voice. It both comforted her and made her more nervous. Excited. 

Ben and Rey stood on the sidewalk, the warm glow of the streetlights wrapping around them. She gave him a small smile, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Those stupid butterflies were really becoming a nuisance, especially as Ben Solo returned that soft smile and made them act up even  _ more _ . 

"Come, let's move away from the road," Ben offered, gesturing towards the park. 

They walked in silence, moving into the heart of the quaint little park. It was cute, a big fountain in the middle, stone benches and perfectly manicured gardens, a well-maintained play area off in a corner. There was a couple walking their dog and a small group sitting at a picnic bench, but it was mostly empty. Empty and cozy and intimate. Rey squeezed her hands together behind her back, her heart pounding. 

_ An intimate setting with Ben Solo. Oh god.  _

"I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you to meet me here so late at night," Ben began. "Um, shall we sit?" 

Rey settled down on a bench. It was still warm from the hot day. She turned her body towards his, crossing her ankles primply. She raised an eyebrow, encouraging him to continue. 

"I wanted to apologize for, well, everything. I wanted you to know how sorry I am for the way I behaved, and for the way I allowed Gwen and Hux to argue with your friends," he said. 

"Oh, Ben, no. No, no, no. There's no reason for you to apologize. I messaged you last night so that  _ I  _ could apologize. I was acting like a brat and I shouldn't have. You know what you're talking about and I should have just let you lead. And as far as Rose and the others go, that's their battle, not ours. We can only police ourselves. Heaven help whoever wants to try to police that lot," she replied. 

"You weren't a brat, Rey. You were  _ right _ . I shouldn't have been such a stubborn asshole." He gave a frustrated sigh, raking a hand through his hair. "I was just--I wanted to--" 

"I was trying to impress you," she admitted before she lost the courage to. 

He looked up at her, his eyes searching hers as a slow smile spread across his face. Rey felt her heart clench at how  _ beautiful  _ that expression was on him. She wanted to see it forever.

"I was trying to impress you, too," he said quietly, his voice a deep rumble. 

"Me? Why would you want to impress me? You're  _ Ben Solo  _ and I'm...I'm just a nobody," she asked. 

He reached out, taking one of her hands in both of his. "Rey, you're  _ incredible _ . You made a name for yourself in the West End when you were just a child. You made your own way, without the help of anyone else at all. You have a stunning voice, not to mention how beautiful you are." 

She looked down at their joined hands, color quickly rising to her cheeks. 

"You...you can't mean that," she muttered. 

He moved one of his hands up, gently curling a finger under her chin so he could lift her face back to his. When had he gotten so close? If she wanted to, she could just lean in and...well…

"Rey, you are beautiful and talented and far too young for me--"

"Wait, too young for you?" She quickly interjected, her heart slamming against her ribcage now. "I'm only ten years younger, Ben, not fifty. I'm an adult." 

The look he gave her bordered on something between affectionate and pained, as if her reminding him of her adult status was somehow making this  _ harder. _ Wait, had she just made this somehow harder? Was he planning on letting her down, on denying that the tension between them was sexual and that they shouldn't? Couldn't? She felt panic settle in at the time moment as determination rose within her. She was never one to give up without a fight and damnit, she would absolutely fight for this! 

Both those emotions quickly gave way to confusion when he began to chuckle at her. It was far too cute, seeing the way his eyes crinkled at the corners and seeing a flash of a canine, his teeth not  _ quite  _ perfect but definitely perfect enough for her. Why did he have to always be so damn handsome? 

"Well, I suppose that answers one question I had," he said, merriment dancing in those honey brown eyes. 

"What question was that?" She asked, needing to know. Was it that she was absolutely too immature for him? Oh, she'd show him! She was  _ so  _ mature--

The world stopped as he reached out a handle and gently brushed back some of her hair. His fingers lingered then, trailing softly down the side of her face, just barely brushing her jaw, before falling away. It was the most intimate moment of Rey's life, and she wasn't even a virgin. 

"If you could somehow find it in that heart of yours to find even an ounce of affection for a man like me," he rumbled softly. 

She gave a very quick nod, eager but dumbfounded. "Yeah. Yes. That I can do." Was this seriously happening? 

Ben's smile at her affirmation made her heart positively  _ soar _ . What if he kissed her right now? What if, in this soft summer night, he kissed her and brought her back to his place and they went to the studio together in the morning after a night of wild and passionate sex? She had a feeling he was probably an animal in bed, although that made her more nervous. She wasn't a virgin but she also wasn't  _ terribly  _ experienced. Would she disappoint him? 

"What's going through that head of yours, Rey?" He asked her softly, his eyes flitting around each feature of her face before returning to hers. 

She blushed. "Honestly, a lot of very inappropriate things that maybe prove that I am too young for you."

"They can't be any more inappropriate than the thoughts I've had of you since the moment I first laid eyes on you. Rey, do you  _ know  _ how short your shorts were that first day? Do you know what that does to a simple man?" He smirked. 

He adjusted his legs and she suddenly got an idea of  _ how  _ affected she'd made him with her thoughtless clothing choice. 

Oh.  _ Oh. _

"I have an idea," she replied softly. She hoped it sounded seductive. 

That dark look that flashed through his eyes told her that she may have achieved that goal. She squeezed her own thighs together. Holy shit, this was happening. 

"So we've established that I like you and you like me…" she prompted. 

"So now we need to decide how to proceed," he finished with a nod. He gave a stretch, one of his long, muscular arms slipping along the back of the bench and close to her. 

"I mean, I have an idea," she said. Feeling bodly, she pushed forward, getting closer to him. Maybe she'd need to kiss him first. That wouldn't be so bad.

"Rey, we need to be responsible," he said. 

Rey shrank back, his words dousing her life cold water. "What do you mean?" 

He leaned back towards her, the hand at the back of the bench reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. "I  _ mean, _ we have to go about this like two responsible adults who also happen to be in the public eye. We're mostly obscured here, but we shouldn't engage in anything more in case there are prying eyes. I don't want you thrown to the tabloids, Rey. I'm sure Tallie told you how our collaboration was originally perceived by the press. I don't want you forced to go through that, too." 

Her heart melted. "Ben, that's so sweet," she swooned. 

"So we're going to finish up our recording week and let the world forget about our collaboration before we go public," he nodded. 

Again, she deflated. "Oh." 

"No, Rey, no. I'm not saying that we  _ can't  _ be together in the meantime, I'm just saying that we should keep it on the down low. We can still go on dates and explore what we're feeling, but we need to be careful. Lots of time spent in more, um, intimate atmospheres instead of out in public where people can make terrible assumptions about me robbing the cradle or you being a gold digger," he soothed. 

"It's only  _ ten years!"  _ she growled. 

He chuckled at that, boisterous and melodic. 

"I'm so glad that you're not put off of the age difference." 

"Not at all," she reassured him. She took a quick look around the park, making sure that no one was looking before she ducked in and kissed his cheek. "So. When do we start getting to know each other in those more  _ intimate  _ atmospheres?"

"We should go slow, sweetheart. I don't want you to think that I am trying to assert my influence over you to persuade you to do anything," he said. 

"But you're not!" she protested. 

He gave her the kind of smirk that made her thighs clench together even harder. How could one man be so sexy? 

"If you're so sure, sweetheart, then how about we start tomorrow night? After recording we can go get dinner together, just the two of us. A nice little place where they both know me and respect my privacy," he offered. 

"And tonight?" she asked softly, looking up at him from beneath her eyelashes demurely. 

"Tonight, I will see that Mr. Deeto gets you back safely to your apartment. And then we will text each other until it's far too early in the morning, the context of which will get less and less innocent as the evening wears on, so that our sexual tension come tomorrow morning is so high that we will spend the rest of the day itching to get our hands on each other," he predicted. 

"We'll be given breaks at the same time," she purred. "Maybe we'll happen to go to the bathroom at the same time, where we have a chance to relieve some of that tension." 

He flexed his fist, taking in a shaking breath. "You want me to meet you in the bathroom?" 

She nodded, biting her lip. "Yes, sir." 

He let out the softest groan and she nearly came right there. Holy  _ shit _ , this really was happening. Maybe not tonight, but it was going to happen. 

"I can't wait," she whispered. "Maybe I'll wear those shorts again." 

"If you would be so kind as to, I'll make sure you get a reward," he replied lowly. 

"Are you sure we're going to make it until tomorrow?" she asked. She could feel and itching in her fingertips, a deep ache to reach out and touch him. 

"I can withstand anything if the reward is sweet enough," he replied. He rose then, offering a hand out to assist her. 

They both shivered as the contact sent that same electric thrill through them as before. 

"So I'll text you tonight?" she asked. 

"I look forward to it." 

On the drive home, Rey frantically texted tips on sexting. 

And positions for having sex in a bathroom. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: the rating WILL go up in the next chapter. So if you don't want to read some filthy, filthy banging between two consenting adults, you can just stop here and be happy to know that they will live happily ever after. If you wish to continue...well, ya'll know who I am, right???


End file.
